Apparatus for marking or decorating articles



March 15, 1938. D. DENELSBECK APPARATUS FOR MARKING OR DECORATING ARTICLES Filed Dec. 30, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet l March 15, 1938. I D. DENELVSBECK 2,111,207

APPARATUS 'FOR MARKING OR DECORATING ARTICLES March 15, 1 938. DENELSBECKA 2,111,207

APPARATUS MARKING OR DECORATING ARTICLES Filed Dec. so, 1953 s Sheets-Sheet? 5 fI'E-E- Patented 15, 1938 APPARATUS ran MARKING on nnoona'r- ING ARTICLES PATENT David DenelsbcchHuntlhgton, w. va, assignor to Owens-Illinois Glass tion of Ohio Company, a corpora-' Application December 30, 1933, Serial No."l04,6 57

8 Claims.

ing, lettering or'decoratingsurfaces of various articles and in its preferred form relates particularly to apparatus designed for marking or ornamenting surfaces by. a stenciling method. 1

The invention as herein illustrated is adapted for use in decorating frusto-conical surfaces such as the tapered or shoulder portions of milk bottles or other bottles or articles of similar shape.

The present application discloses a stenciling apparatus similar in many respects to that disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 698,396 filed November 17, 1933, Method and apparatus for decorating articles, the present ap- 15 plication disclosing. certain subject matter claimed in said copending application.

An object of the present invention is to provide improved means for holding-a bottle or other hollow article during the decorating operation and more particularly to provide means for holding the article by suction to thechuck by which it is rotated. The invention also providesmeans operated by a suction motor for supporting the bottle or article near its base. -A further object 25 of the invention is to provide improved means for automatically reversing the squeegee.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the decorating or stenciling machine.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a part sectional side elevation, the section being taken at the line IV--IV of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a part sectional front elevation of the squeegee and its lifting and reversing mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the parts in a different relative. position.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the vacuum valve and adjoining parts.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the vacuum oper- 4.5 ated chuck.

The machine is mounted on a platform or table l0 supported on a framework H. A standard I 2 bolted to the platform I0 is formed with a journal bearing l3 in which is rotatively mount- 50 ed a chuck l4. The chuck is provided with a stem. l5 which has bearings in a bracket l6 bolted to the standard l2. A horizontally disposed driving wheel or pulley H has fixed there-. in a pivot pinor spindle l8, the lower end of 5 which is Journaled in the standard l2.

v (01. 101-124) My invention relates to apparatus for mark- A screen frame 20 is attached to the lower surface of a horizontal carrier 2 l. The screen frame and its carrier are segmental in form and are designed to beoscillated about the vertical axis of the pivot pin I8. For this purpose the car- 5 'rier is provided with a web 22 and a hub 23 through which the 'pivot pin IB extends, said hub having a fixed connection with the wheel Ill. The carrier 2! may be oscillated by means of handles 24. An endless cable 25 is wound around 1.0 the pulley II and extends over guide pulleys-26 and a sheave or pulley 21 keyed to the stem 95 of the chuck. It willbe seen that with this 1 construction, when the screen carrier 2| is oscillated, the motion is transmitted through the cable 25 and positively rotates the chuck.

" Attached-to the screen frame is a silk screen 30 or other conventional or approved screen. Said screen may have'applied thereto a sheet or coating of impervious material in which is stenciled or cut the design 3i. The squeegee or wiper blade 32, made of rubber or like material,

is mounted above the screen and held thereagainst while the screen is moved horizontally, said wiper serving to force ink or coloring material 33 (Fig. 6) through the stenciled portion of the screen for applying the design 3| to the surface of a work piece or article 34, herein shown as a bottle.

The bottle 34 includes a tapered or shoulder portion providing a frusto-conical surface 34 to which the decoration is applied. When the bottle is in position on the machine, the screen is tangent to this surface, making contact therewith along a horizontal line. The parts are pref- 35 erably so arranged'that the vertical axis of the pivot pin l8 intersects the axis of rotation of the. bottle at or near the apex of the cone of which the portion of the bottle to be decorated is a frustum. The parts are also so. proportioned that the surface 34 is positively rotated at the same surface speed as the screenwhere it'contacts with said surface. This arrangement of parts and operation insures rolling contact between the bottle and screen without any relative sliding movement-which would interfere with the perfect transfer of the stencil design to the bottle.

The blade 32 is attached to the lower end of a plate 35, which extends upward through a slot 5 in a head 36 on a horizontal arm 31. The arm 31 is connected at its outer end by a pivot 38 to a yoke shaped supporting army or carrier 39, 'the latter connected by a pivot-40 to a standard 4| mounted on the platform ID. The arm is adapted to oscillate through a limited are determined by adjustable stops 42 on arms 43 fixed to the-standard 4|.

A stationary cam plate 44 .mounted on the standard 4|, is formed with inclined. cam surfaces 45 on which the arm 31 is adapted to ride for lifting the squeegee away. from the screen at the end of each operating stroke as hereinafter described. The yoke 33 which carries the squeegee is rocked about its pivot 40 for reversing the squeegee, by means of reversing lugs or plates 45 mounted on the carrier 2| in position to engage the arm 31 as the screen carrier approaches the end of its operating stroke, as more fully described hereinafter.

The article 34 which is to be decorated, herein shownas a milk bottle, is held on the chuck l4 by means of vacuum or suction as will be presently described. It is further supported by lower rolls 41 carried on a yoke 43 in position to engage the lower surface of the bottle, and upper rolls 49 carried on the stationary yoke 50 in position ta engage the upper surface of the bottle opposite the rolls 41. The yoke 48 is mounted on a rock shaft 52 journalled in a stationary bracket 53. A rock arm 5| on the shaft 52, is

connected through a link 54 to a rock arm 55,

on a horizontal rock shaft 56. A piston motor 51 is mounted beneath the platform I to oscillate about pivots 58 and has its piston 59 connected to a rock arm 60 on the shaft 56.

A vacuum valve 6| comprises a cylindrical valve casing mounted on the platform l0 and a valve piston 62 mounted to reciprocate in said casing. A vacuum pipe 63 connects said valve with any suitable source of vacuum (not shown). A pipe line 64 extends from the valve to the piston motor 51. A pipe 65 opening into the valve through a port 66 (Fig. '7) provides a vacuum line leading to the chuck I4. The pipe 35 (see Fig. 8) is connectedto a collar 61 threaded on the stem I5, said collar having an annular recess 68 providing communicationbetween the pipeand a central bore or channel 69 extending through the chuck. A rubber gasket 10 is removably secured to the chuck by means of a collar 1| and provides a seat for the endor lip of the bottle 34. The latter is guided into position on the chuck by a removable tapered head 12 threaded in the chuck.

The valve 62 is operated by means of a foot pedal 13 connected to the valve through a link 14, rock arm 15, rock shaft 16, rock arm 11, and link 18, the latter pivoted to the valve stem 19.

Operation The operation may be described as follows: Assuming the screen carrier 2| has been moved to the left to the end of its travel as shown in Fig. 3, a bottle is placed in position with the open endthereof against the chuck. The operator now depresses the foot pedal 13 thereby loweringthe valve piston 62 (Fig. '1). This uncovers the port 66, thereby establishing communication between the vacuum pipe 63 and the pipe 65 which leads to the chuck. The air is thus exhausted fromthe bottle so that the latter is securely held by suction on the chuck. The downward movement of the valve piston 62 also opens the valve to the pipe 64 leading to the piston motor 51 so that the latter operates to lift the yoke 43. This bringsthe rolls 41 into supporting contact with the bottle and also holds the bottle against the upper rolls 49. The bottle is thereby firmly held in line with the axis of rotation of the chuck. While the bottle is thus 2,111,201 V I v being placed in pomtion the squeegee is'held'in" the Fig. position, spaced above the screen, the

arm 31 being supported on a ledge 46' formed on the reversing plate 46. The operator by means of the handle 24 now swings the carrier 2l to the right. The initial movement of the carrier withdraws the, plate-46 from the squeegee, allowing the latter to drop into engagement with the screen therebeneath, as shown in Fig. 6. As the carrier 2| moves to the right, the pulley I1 is rotated and the motion transmitted to the bottle so that the latter is positively rotated and caused to roll along the under surface of the screen as the latter travels. During this movement the squeegee or wiper 32 which is held stationary directly over the line of contact between the screen and bottle surface 34, operates in the usual manner to force the coloring material 33 through the stencil design and thereby apply the design to said surface. As the screen carrier nears the limit of its'movement to the right, the left hand reversing plate 46 engages the squeegee carrying arm 39 and swings it from the Fig. 2 position over to the right into engagement with the right hand stop 42. Before the arm 39 reaches said stop, the cam surface 45 engages the arm 31 and lifts the squeegee, permitting it to be carried over a portion of the coloring material 33 which has piledup in front thereof, preparatory to the next operating stroke. The bottle is relealseld by discontinuing the pressure on the foot pe a. raised by atmospheric pressure, thereby admitting air pressure to the pipes 64 and 65. Airv through the pipe 65 restores the air pressure in the bottle and releases it from the chuck. At the same time air pressure transmitted through pipe 65 to the motor 51, permits its piston to be retracted by a spring 80 which also lowers the bottle supporting yoke 48.

Modifications may 'be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: I

1. In a machine for decorating or marking articles, the combination of a work-holding device,

a support on which said device is mounted for rotation, a vacuum line extending to said workholding. device, a valve in said line, means for actuating said valve and applying suction through said line to the work-holding device and thereby causing the latter to hold a work piece by suction, a supporting device for the work-piece, a suction operated motor for actuating said supporting device, and means controlled by said valve to apply suction to said motor.

2. Apparatus for decorating or marking the surfaces of hollow articles, comprising a chuck mounted for rotation, a'piston valve, a vacuum line extending from said valve to the chuck, a foot pedal operatively connected to the valve piston for operating the latter and thereby opening the vacuum line to a source of vacuum and causing a work piece to be held on the chuck by suction, and means for rotating the chuck and the work piece.

3. Apparatus for decorating -or marking the surfaces of holl w articles, comprising a chuck mounted for rotation, a piston valve, a vacuum This permits the valve piston 62 to be a suction motor operable to move said supporting device into position for supporting the work piece, and means controlled by said valve for applying suction to said motor and operating thelatter.

4. In a machine for decorating or marking articles, the combination of a work-holding device, a support on which said device is mounted for rotation about an inclined axis, pneumatic means for causing the work-holding device to hold a work-piece, a valve controlling said pneumatic means, and-means for actuating said valve.

5. In a machine fordecorating or marking articles, the combination of a work-holding device, a support on which said device is mounted for rotation about an inclined axis, pneumatic means, for causing the work-holding device to hold a work-piece, a valve controlling said pneumatic means, means for actuating said valve, a, supporting device movable to and from an operative position in which it supports the work-piece in an inclined position for rotation with the work-holding device about said inclined axis, andmeans controlled by said valve for actuating said supporting device.

6. An apparatus for decorating or marking the surfaces of articles, comprising a work-holding device, a support on which said device is mounted for rotation, means for causing a work-piece to be held in operative engagement with said workholding device by difierential, pneumatic pres sure, a valve controlling the application of said differential pressure, a supporting device for the work-piece, and means controlledby said valve for actuating the supporting device.

7. In a machine for decorating or marking articles, the combination of a work-holding device, a support on which said device is mounted for rotation, a valve, means controlled by the valve for causing a work-piece to be held in operative engagement with the work-holding device by diiferential, pneumatic pressure, a supporting device for the Work-piece, a motor for actuating the supporting device, and means controlled by said valve for actuating the motor and causing the latter to move the supporting device to operative position.

8. In a machine for decorating or marking bottles, the combination of a chuck mounted for rotation, a valve, means controlled by the valve to hold a bottle in engagement with the chuck by differential, pneumatic pressure, a pneumatically operated motor controlled by said valve, and a support for the bottle actuated by said motor and movable thereby to a bottle supporting position.

DAVID DENELSBECK. 

